New firmware enables PS1 games on PSP through Remote Play

by Christopher Grant { Dec 18th 2007 at 1:45PM }

DivX for the PS3 and internet radio for the PSP weren't the only treats buried in this morning's latest Sony firmware updates. Nope, they've got a little something special for those of you rocking both of Sony's latest consoles: PS1 games are now playable via Remote Play. What does that mean to you, Joe Gamer? You can download PS1 games on your PS3 through the PSN Store but, instead of swapping games on and off your no doubt ballooning Memory Stick, you can stream them straight from the PS3. You can also leave your favorite PS1 game in the drive and Remote Play that, if digitally distributed media ain't your thing.

Coupled with the PS3's recently acquired Remote Start capability and the PSP's internet-enabled Remote Play functionality, you can tap into that library of PS1 games at home from anywhere in the world. That's a pretty exciting feature ... but, there is one shortcoming: when's that library of PS1 games coming?

[Via PS3F]

Tags: PS1, PSN, Psone, Remote-Play

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School) @ Dec 18th 2007 1:51PM

PSP/PS3's remote play function is the only truly awesome thing about Sony's consoles.

mr nimblewick @ Dec 18th 2007 2:02PM

I like how shiny they are.

required @ Dec 18th 2007 2:31PM

I dig everything, especially my PSP. Favorite system by far!

creid @ Dec 18th 2007 1:53PM

Isn't missing L2 and R2 going to be a problem?

Princess Skittles @ Dec 18th 2007 2:01PM

The analog stick on the PSP acts as L2/R2 when playing PS1 games.

zuburi @ Dec 18th 2007 2:04PM

Always has been. They mapped the L2/R2 buttons to left and right on the analogue nub (I'm actually saying nub, not calling you a n00b :D). It's incredibly lame. You would think that they would've designed the PSP with an extra nub and two extra shoulder buttons, especially since the thing was designed to play PS1 games.

I suppose you could counter with the argument "but Sony didn't plan on the PSP being able to emulate PS1 games, so they didn't know they'd require this." However, what are the odds of that? It was a crappy design decision on the part of Sony. When they first announced the PSP Slim, I was hoping that they'd add the two shoulder buttons and a second analogue stick on the thing.

Being able to play PS1 games on my PSP is cool, but the system is also crippled from the lack of the extra buttons. Because of this, you're not going to see any PS1 games in the PSN store that require dual-analogue input.

Princess Skittles @ Dec 18th 2007 2:41PM

There are so few PS1 games that require dual-analog that it's a moot point. Ape Escape and Ore no Ryori are the only ones I can think of.

FidliousWong @ Dec 18th 2007 3:02PM

Agreed. I only remember Armored Core making heavy use of all the buttons. As for dual analog, soooo laughing about this bitch. Very few games used it (most used only one analog) and I've seen countless DS drops. Just imagine how many drops would occur with two nubs? I mean, they aren't exactly in the most secure position.

kainen @ Dec 18th 2007 1:57PM

crap, don't you need PSP 3.80 firmware to run this right (without lag/input delay)? If so, what do the 3.73m33 folks do? :)

Espiox @ Dec 18th 2007 2:09PM

They upgrade their damn firmware.

Hippies.

oldest gamer @ Dec 18th 2007 1:57PM

Awesome updates! PS3 is the swiss army knife of gaming, bar non. Crono great games are available on the PS3 and PSP so WTF? Why hate Sony?

Luka M. @ Dec 18th 2007 2:26PM

All three of them?

required @ Dec 18th 2007 2:39PM

luka if you only dig 3 of them then yes. thing is the PS3 has a lot more than that and the PSP has a whole lot more than it.

a.j. @ Dec 18th 2007 2:17PM

this is coolness. im sure the haters will whine about something....start in 3, 2, 1...

Dale @ Dec 18th 2007 2:31PM

This is really cool. I could swear I remember Sony being derisive about link up when Nintendo did it for GameCube/Game Boy Advance but Google is about as much use as a chocolate fireplace when it comes to searching for articles older than a week.

required @ Dec 18th 2007 2:45PM

what sony is doing is way above and beyond what nintendo tried to do with their gameboy.

the gamecube/gameboyadvance interoperability was never really there and in order to play gameboyadvance games on the gamecube you had to buy a separate player which had problems of its own.

Dale @ Dec 18th 2007 3:55PM

Oh, no doubt the Sony set up is way more advanced than anything Nintendo tried to do - both due to the technology leaps and Sony caring about more than just using the handheld to control games - but the basic idea of connecting a handheld to a home system is something I remember them being dismissive of.

DBX00 @ Dec 18th 2007 2:35PM

This is definitely a cool feature especially if you still have a PS1 collection. However, they really need to get the PS1 releases in the US up to where they are in Japan. I'm not going to buy every game that comes out but I would definitely purchase some of my favorite titles to have on the go.

The PS3 is definitely making a strong play as the centerpiece of the living room and the entertainment hub for anywhere in the world.

Linkdead @ Dec 18th 2007 2:43PM

Those of us running custom firmware have had this new functionality for awhile. But hey if you want to purchase all the games you already own over again more power to you.

Noshino @ Dec 18th 2007 2:55PM

"You can also leave your favorite PS1 game in the drive and Remote Play that, if digitally distributed media ain't your thing."

So...mmm...why would you want/have to rebuy all the games you already own?

I hate people that rip games, then claim that it is completly legal because they had already bought the game...yet I bet most of them have lost said game by now...you lose a game, you HAVE to rebuy it...(or look for it, sigh)

Linkdead @ Dec 18th 2007 3:14PM

I rip games from my own collection so yes it's legal.

I firmly believe once you won hardware or software you can and should do whatever the F you want with it. Mod it, rip it, smash it, sell it. You purchased all those rights when you plunked down the cash to buy the system or software in the first place.

Politicians who make these "laws" that govern your fair use of products YOU purchase have no idea what is going on around them. They see X amount of money in campaign fund from Y source and vote accordingly. Any monkey with half a brain can poop out the same crap on capital hill.

I don't know how remote play actually works and I don't really care. I'm not going to purchase a PS3 so I can play all my PS1 games I already own how about that. I'll gladly keep ripping them to ISO and playing them on my PSP whenever I want.

Just keep being a good little consumer whore and keep buying all the same content over and over.

Noshino @ Dec 18th 2007 3:43PM

"I firmly believe once you won hardware or software you can and should do whatever the F you want with it. Mod it, rip it, smash it, sell it. You purchased all those rights when you plunked down the cash to buy the system or software in the first place."

yes, I believe in what you say, but there is people out there that even after having sold said software/hardware, they still think they got all the rights over them, which isn't right...

Also people that lose a piece of hardware (in which case, CDs are implied), have NO RIGHTS over it...hey, you lost it, you can't blame someone else for it (and if you can, make such person buy you a new one)

So yah, unless lost or sold, I believe on having the freedom to do whatever you want with the items you purchase.

"I'm not going to purchase a PS3 so I can play all my PS1 games I already own how about that. I'll gladly keep ripping them to ISO and playing them on my PSP whenever I want."

the whole point of this feauture through remote play is that you wouldn't have to save all of those games on your memorystick...way to let anger take over about something that you didn't even understand...